Elon Musk is back in Trump's government. His new Pentagon job: Study the future of war

Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is returning to an official role advising the Trump administration, this time helping the Pentagon study how warfare could evolve and what technologies the US military will need.

On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Project Meridian during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico.  The project will bring together private-sector leaders, technologists, and experts from academic and policy circles.

Hegseth said the group would look beyond the Pentagon for ideas on future military capabilities. "We are leveraging a unique source of American advantage, one our adversaries do not have: our innovators, our senior leaders and our technologists," Hegseth said.

Musk will co-lead the 120-day study with Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

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What Project Meridian will study

Hegseth said the project is intended to "creatively look to the future and identify the domains that we must conquer and capabilities we must master."

The Department of War said Project Meridian would examine future battlefields "from subterranean depths to the cislunar frontier" and identify capabilities needed for technological dominance.

"Secretary Hegseth has commissioned Project Meridian to secure America's long-term military superiority by identifying the capabilities required to achieve absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield," the department said.

The project will be facilitated by Emil Michael, the Department of War's chief technology officer. Its findings are due within 120 days. The final report will be unclassified and publicly released, with a classified annex containing additional findings and recommendations, the department said.

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Musk's return to Trump's government

The assignment marks Musk's return to an official government role after his departure from the Department of Government Efficiency in May 2025.

Musk had been a prominent supporter of Trump and helped him return to the White House. The two later had a public falling-out over Trump's spending legislation.

Musk subsequently resumed donating to Republican candidates and conservative political groups.